The public is invited to see U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) presenting the “Building Better Communities Award” to Stafford at 9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 9 at Stafford Mercantile, 101 N. Main, Stafford.

Moran will give remarks and present his “Building Better Communities” award to honor the residents of Stafford for their efforts to revitalize their community.

The Building Better Communities Award is a designation that Moran has given communities that have demonstrated exceptional effort to pull together for the betterment of their area.

The opening of Stafford Mercantile, the creation and ongoing activity of the Stafford Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (SEED) Center, and the turnaround of Stafford Hospital were all factors in his decision to make the recognition.

Senator Moran made the public announcement in a speech in the US Senate earlier this week, and Stafford is the first community recognized in this manner since Moran’s election to the U.S. Senate in 2010.

In addition to Sen. Moran’s floor speech honoring Stafford, a video was created to showcase community members’ efforts to invest in their hometown.

“The refreshing thing is now since we’ve opened here, and we have a restaurant next door, we’re getting several cars on Main Street,” said Grimmett in an excerpt from the video. “It makes people feel good, especially in the evening when the streets are dark, and at least we have a couple businesses now that have their lights on. I think we may have gotten on the first rung or maybe second rung of the ladder, but it’s still going to take a lot of work. It’s going to take a lot of community effort.”

The video can be viewed online at www.moran.senate.gov or by following the link provided on our website at sjnewsonline.com.